Sweeny 

Captain  Thomas  Cook 

(17S2-18U1) 
A  Soldier  of  the  Revolution 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 
Mrs.   William  M.  Sweeny 


CAPTAIN  THOMAS  COOK 

(1752-1841) 

A  SOLDIER  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

EDITED  BY  HIS 
GREAT-GREAT-GRAND  NEPHEW 

WILLIAM    M.    SWEENY 


LIBRARY 

APR  22  1954 


uj. 
AT  LOS  ANGLLES 


</ 


CAPTAIN  THOMAS  COOK 

(1752-1841) 

A  SOLDIER  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


EDITED  BY  HIS 
GREAT-GREAT-GRAND  NEPHEW 

WILLIAM     M.    SWEENY 


£275 


CAPTAIN  THOMAS  COOK  commanded  the  Independent  Com- 
pany, Light  Horse,  North  Carolina  Continental  Line,  during  the 
War  of  the  Revolution. 

All  the  papers  relating  to  his  application  for  a  pension  (which  was 
granted)  are  of  record  in  the  Bureau  of  Pensions,  Washington,  D.  C. 
In  all,  he  submitted  three  separate  statements  of  his  services.  As  these 
three  statements  are  substantially  the  same,  I  have  selected  the  most 
complete  one,  noting  any  important  variations  or  additions  that  appear 
in  the  other  statements. 

Thomas  Cook  was  born  in  Hanover  County,  Virginia,  May  15,  1752, 
died  in  Henry  County,  Georgia,  March,  1841,  and  is  buried  in  the  old 
Cook  graveyard,  eight  miles  from  McDonough,  Henry  County,  Georgia, 
on  the  line  of  the  Atlanta  and  Covington  Railroad. 
My  descent  from  Captain  Cook  is  as  follows : 

Francis  Cook Betty 


James   Reagan — Nancy   Cook  Thomas  Cook 

James  Reagan — Mary  Dandridge  Morrison 

Francis  Washington  Reagan — Sarah  Cecelia  Refo 

.  Thomas  William  Sweeny — Eugenia  Octavia  Reagan 

William  M.  Sweeny 

WILLIAM  M.  SWEENY. 
ASTORIA,  LONG  ISLAND,  April  19,  1909. 


811864 


GEORGIA,  HENRY  COUNTY: 

Personally  appeared  before  me  the  undersigned,  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  Thomas  Cook,  who,  being  duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith,  that 
by  reason  of  old  age  and  the  consequent  loss  of  memory  he  cannot 
swear  positively  and  exactly  as  to  the  precise  time  of  his  service,  but, 
according  to  the  best  of  his  recollection,  he  served  not  less  than  the 
period  below  and  in  the  following  grades : 

On  July  the  tenth,  Seventeen  hundred  and  seventy-six  (1776),  I  en- 
tered the  service  as  a  private  soldier  in  Captain  John  Leek's  company 
(Guilford  Militia),  Colonel  James  Martin's  regiment,  Griffith  Ruther- 
ford, General ;  marched  to  the  Cherokee  Nation  to  suppress  the  Indians ; 
burnt  their  town,  killed  and  destroyed  as  many  of  the  Indians  as  we 
could  get  hold  of;  remained  in  the  nation  as  long  as  we  could  get 
provisions,  and  was  compelled  to  return  back  again.  On  the  25th  of 
November  landed  at  our  starting  point,  being  out  four  months  and 
fifteen  days — 4  months  and  J/£.  This  was  known  as  the  "Cherokee  Ex- 
pedition." This  service  was  in  an  embodied  corps,  called  out  by 
competent  authority  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 

On  the  ist  of  September,  Seventeen  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
(1777),  I  was  elected  First  Lieutenant  of  a  company  of  Martin's  regi- 
ment, company  commanded  as  before  by  John  Leek,  and  attached  to  the 
said  brigade  commanded  by  the  same  General  (Griffith  Rutherford). 
The  intention  of  this  service  was  to  scout  the  country  throughout,  for 
the  Tories  were  very  mischievous,  indeed,  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
State  alongside  the  seaboard.  We  were  raised  as  the  protectors  of 
our  State;  McCloud  was  the  Tory  General  who  headed  the  Tories  in 
the  Scotch  settlements,  as  aforesaid.  In  this  service  I  was  out  three 
months,  when  we  returned  back  to  our  county  and  homes.  This  was 
known  in  that  day  as  the  "Scotch  Expedition." 

About  Christmas  or  the  ist  of  January  (1778),  we  were  ordered  out 
as  before,  to  the  lower  parts  of  the  State,  to  hunt  for  the  same  Tory 
commander  (McCloud),  for  the  Tories,  as  soon  as  we  had  left  their 
particular  section,  commenced  their  mischief.  Some  time  in  the  winter 
we  came  upon  McCloud  in  the  Scotch  settlements  at  a  bridge  (name  of 
the  bridge  not  recollected),  but  near  a  swamp  called  "Drowning  Swamp," 
where  we  had  a  fight  and  killed  several  of  the  Tories  and  caused  McCloud 
to  flee  with  the  balance.  Colonel  Paisley  commanded  our  regiment  at 
this  time — Colonel  Martin,  with  some  of  the  men,  remaining  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  State.  We  consumed  the  whole  of  this  year  as  we  did  the 
latter  part  of  the  former,  backward  and  forward  continually.  This  was 
likewise  known  as  the  "Scotch  Expedition" — making  in  the  whole  in 
this  kind  of  service  fifteen  (15)  months.  I  was  commissioned  by  Gov- 
ernor Caswell. 

Early  in  January,  Seventy-nine  (1779),  I  was  elected  Captain  of  a 
company  in  Colonel  Martin's  regiment  composed  of  Guilford  Militia, 
and  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Caswell  of  North  Carolina.  Joined 
the  regiment  at  Guilford  Court  House;  marched  immediately  for  South 
Carolina,  General  Rutherford  still  commanding.  Went  through  South 
Carolina  directly  to  the  Savannah  River;  joined  General  Lincoln  at  a 
place  called  the  "Smoking  Camp,"  about  seventy  miles  below  Augusta. 
From  the  "Smoking  Camp"  marched  up  the  river  to  a  place  known  as 
the  "Sisters  Ferry."  From  the  latter  place  a  detachment  was  sent  over 


under  General  Ashe  into  Georgia,  where  they  had  a  fight  with  the 
British  and  got  defeated.  This  is  known  as  the  "Brier  Creek  Battle," 
or  "Ashe's  Defeat."  During  this  expedition  I  remained  with  the  army 
under  General  Lincoln,  and  was  upon  guard  at  the  time  and  could  hear 
the  guns.  Immediately  after  the  above  fight,  General  Lincoln  and 
General  Moultrie  marched  the  main  army  up  the  river  to  a  place  called 
"Turkey  Hill,"  opposite  to  the  place  where  the  British  main  army  were 
encamped  on  the  Georgia  side  of  said  river.  We  remained  at  said  hill 
three  weeks  in  full  sight  of  the  British  army.  In  this  time  we  frequently 
had  intercourse  by  conversation  with  the  British.  We  marched  from 
this  latter  place  under  our  aforesaid  Generals,  still  higher  up  the  river 
to  a  place  called  "Black  Swamp."  The  day  before  we  left  "Turkey 
Hill,"  General  Lincoln  had  a  road  cut  from  the  hill  directly  into  the 
country  for  about  six  miles.  This  was  done  in  sight  of  the  British 
army,  and,  as  I  thought,  was  done  for  a  feint,  but  I  now  know  the 
intention  of  our  Generals  in  cutting  said  road,  for  the  day  they  quit 
the  road  we  directly  marched  up  the  river  to  "Black  Swamp."  Staid  a 
few  days.  General  Lincoln  took  the  whole  body  of  the  regulars  from 
the  main  army  and  marched  for  Stono.  The  balance  of  the  army,  con- 
sisting of  North  and  South  Carolina  militia,  was  left  under  the  care  of 
General  Moultrie  at  "Black  Swamp,"  at  which  place  I  remained  until 
the  relief  came  from  North  Carolina,  which  was  about  the  first  of 
June  in  said  year.  This  was  a  six  months'  expedition  with  no  particular 
designation  but  that  of  "The  United  States  Expedition  against  the 
British."  At  this  time  I  received  a  written  discharge  from  General 
Moultrie  to  march  my  company  home,  and  in  our  proper  county  to  be 
discharged.  During  our  travel  we  had,  from  the  hand  of  our  General, 
orders  to  draw  provisions  for  my  company  at  the  various  commissaries 
as  we  passed  on.  This  brought  about  the  middle  of  June,  1779. 

After  our  return  home  we  were  instructed  by  our  General  to  hold 
ourselves  in  readiness  to  meet  any  emergency  that  might  arise. 

From  June,  1779,  until  the  first  of  September,  1780,  I  was  not  in  any 
embodied  corps  doing  service,  but  was  frequently  called  out  by  our 
Colonel,  who  at  this  time  was  Paisley,  to  suppress  large  bodies  of  Tories. 
During  this  interval  of  time  it  is  impossible  to  relate  fully  the  kind  of 
service  performed,  for  it  was  of  a  very  unsettled  nature.  We  did  not 
remain  at  home  at  any  one  time  longer  than  about  two  weeks  before  we 
would  receive  orders  to  scout  the  country  and  restore  peace  and  quiet 
for  a  while. 

In  September,  1780  (Seventeen  hundred  and  eighty),  I  was  ordered 
to  raise  a  Horse  Company  consisting  of  about  30  (thirty),  or  as  many 
as  I  might  think  necessary  for  the  occasion — known  as  "Rangers."  I 
marched  out  and  met  Davie  and  Brisbane  in  Mecklenburg  County, 
North  Carolina.  From  this  county  we  marched. in  a  body  to  and  joined 
General  Davidson  on  the  Catawba  River,  where  we  remained  scouting 
the  country  and  harassing  the  British  until  Davidson  was  killed.  He 
was  killed  by  the  fire  of  a  cannon  across  the  river  from  the  British  side 
and  by  the  British.  After  the  death  of  Davidson  we  dispersed  and  fled 
over  the  Yadkin.  We  were  in  a  very  distracted  state  after  the  death  of 
our  General,  until  Greene  came  to  take  charge  of  us.  All  this  service 
was  confined  to  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  As  General  Greene  passed 
through  our  State  with  his  regulars  for  the  South,  we  were  required  to 


join  him  and  march  with  him  to  the  South  until  he  could  or  should 
intercept  Cornwallis.  We  marched  from  Guilford  towards  Camden  in 
South  Carolina,  where  we  supposed  the  British  to  be.  We  met  him 
about  the  Catawba,  and  General  Greene's  forces  being  too  feeble,  he 
retreated  before  him  into  Virginia.  Now  I  received  orders  from 
General  Greene  to  go  back  to  my  State  and  county  to  raise  more  men 
and  meet  him  as  speedily  as  I  could,  which  I  did,  and  met  him  at  the 
High  Rock  Ford  on  Haw  River  and  continued  with  him  marching  and 
counter-marching  through  the  country,  until  we  met  the  British  at 
Guilford.  In  the  battle  of  Guilford  I  bore  a  part  under  General  Greene, 
but  our  forces  being  too  weak,  we  were  forced  to  flee  and  give  the 
ground.  The  British  did  not  follow  us  one  yard — just  took  our  cannon 
and  fired  it  upon  us.  I  rode  off  with  Greene  from  the  battle-ground. 
According  to  our  agreement  (if  it  should  be  necessary  to  give  them 
the  ground),  we  were  to  flee  to  the  Iron  Works — 7  miles — which  we 
did.  The  second  day,  including  the  battle-day,  Cornwallis  sent  to  the 
General  to  come  and  bury  his  dead,  which  he  did.  From  Guilford  Court 
House  we  pursued  Cornwallis  to  Ramsey  Mills,  on  Deep  River,  where 
we  came  in  sight  of  them,  but  the  river  being  high  and  rising,  General 
Greene  considered  it  not  safe  to  undertake  to  cross,  for  the  British 
were  on  the  opposite  bank.  I  think  the  British  used  about  two  thousand 
rails  in  the  formation  of  a  floating  raft  to  pass  over  upon,  and  after 
they  had  passed  over  destroyed,  as  much  as  was  in  their  power,  the 
means  they  had  used  in  crossing.  General  Greene  considered  it  safest 
and  best  for  our  common  country  to  retrace  his  steps  and  push  for  the 
Eutaw  Springs.  Upon  our  arrival  near  the  place,  we  discovered  the 
British.  We  halted  and  prepared  for  battle.  I  think  this  battle  was 
in  September,  1781,  but  will  not  say  certainly.  General  Greene  gave 
Lord  Rawdon  a  fight  and  compelled  him  to  retreat  with  his  British 
subjects  and  flee  the  country.  During  this  battle  I  and  my  company 
and  several  others  were  reserved  by  orders  of  the  commander-in-chief 
to  cover  his  retreat,  should  he  deem  it  necessary  for  the  safety  of  his 
country  to  make  one.  From  the  above  place  I  was  sent  back  with  my 
company  and  several  more  to  our  proper  county  and  State  to  protect 
it  and  defend  it  and  our  women  and  children  from  the  plunderings  of 
the  Tories  and  British;  for  they  were  scattered  over  the  whole  country, 
and  distress  and  dismay  covered  our  whole  land.  I  was,  by  General 
Greene,  ordered  not  to  disband  my  company  upon  our  return  home, 
but  to  be  ever  vigilant  and  scout  the  whole  upper  country  of  our  State 
until  he  should  require  our  assistance,  and  if  he  should,  we  would  be 
immediately  informed  of  it  and  ordered  to  march.  I  did  as  ordered, 
until  I  received  instructions  from  Headquarters  that  peace  was  made 
and  there  was  no  more  use  for  us.  Upon  which  news  I  was  discharged 
from  the  service  and  ordered  to  discharge  my  company ;  I  did  so,  which 
ended  my  labors.  I  think  it  was  in  the  Spring  of  (1783)  that  we  were 
discharged  as  above  stated. 

In  this  declaration,  amendatory  of  my  former,  I  have  endeavored  to 
be  as  particular  and  definite  in  relation  to  my  service  as  was  in  my 
power.  I  know  one  thing,  that,  if  I  cannot  satisfy  the  War  Depart- 
ment of  my  service,  my  country  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  my  labor  for 
six  years  spent  in  her  service. 

In  all  of  the  above  service,  I  was  called  upon  regularly  and  legally 


by  my  country,  and  for  the  periods  above  mentioned.  I  was  in  the  field 
as  a  regular  embodied  militia  soldier  as  above  stated.  As  I  have  formerly 
stated,  I  was  not,  during  the  above  periods  of  time,  engaged  in  any 
civil  or  other  lucrative  employment  or  pursuit.  There  is  some  difference 
in  respect  to  duties  in  this  declaration  and  the  former,  but  I  believe  the 
latter  to  be  as  near  right  as  my  memory  can  serve.  It  is  impossible 
for  me  to  be  strictly  correct  in  the  relating  the  whole  of  the  events  and 
occurrences  which  took  place  during  the  war.  I  am  a  poor  old  man 
and  desire  the  assistance  of  my  country  now  that  she  is  willing  to 
pay  me  for  my  service  rendered  to  her  fifty  years  ago,  but  if  I  cannot  do 
all  the  War  Department  requires  me  to  do,  I  have  made  the  best 
statement  in  my  power,  and  if  this  will  not  suffice,  my  case  must  suffer. 
The  Searcher  of  all  hearts  knows  that  what  I  have  said  is  true,  and 
far  be  it  for  me,  in  the  very  smallest  degree,  to  endeavor  to  practice  a 
deception  upon  my  country. 

I  have  looked  at  the  requests  contained  in  the  letter  from  the  De- 
partment and  have  endeavored,  as  far  as  my  memory  and  the  notable 
events  would  enable  me,  to  give  a  satisfactory  account  of  my  service. 

Y  In  that  I  served  as  a  private  soldier 

o  4  months  15  days  in  1776 

o  3  months  as  ist  Lieutenant  1777 

0  12  months  as  ist  Lieutenant  1778 

4     as  Captain,  ist  Jan.  1779-80-81-82-83. 

1  know  the  circumstances,  occurrences  and  events  as  above  detailed 
to  be  true,  but  there  may  be  error  as  to  the  dates.     I  have  proved  my 
service  by  the  respectable  witnesses,  both  of  whom  served  under  me, 
one  for  2  years,  the  other  4.     To  Mr.  Theodosius  Cook  and  the  Rev. 
Henry  Hardin,  the  latter  of  whom  is  now  receiving  his  pay  for  the  very 
service  performed  while  a  soldier  under  me. 

Sworn  to  before. me 
the  7th  August,  1833.  THOS.  COOK. 

WM.  CAMP, 
/.  P. 


GEORGIA,  HENRY  COUNTY: 

I,  ALEXANDER  G.  MURRAY,  Clerk  of  the  Inferior  Court  for  said 
county,  do  certify  that  William  Camp  whose  name  appears  to  the 
within  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  is  an  acting  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
said  County  and  that  full  faith  and  credit  are  due  his  official  acts  as 
such. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  private  seal  there  being  no  county  seal, 
this  loth  day  of  August,  1833. 

ALEXANDER  G.  MURRAY.     [SEAL.] 


EXTRACTS  FROM  FIRST  DECLARATION  OF 
THOMAS  COOK. 

States  that  he  joined  the  main  army  under  General  Rutherford  in 
Rowan  County,  North  Carolina,  and  marched  to  the  Cherokee  Nation, 
where  they  burnt  and  destroyed  seventeen  towns  and  villages  and  as 
many  Indians  as  they  could  get  hold  of. 

Says  the  commission  of  Captain  issued  to  him  by  Governor  Caswell 
of  North  Carolina,  "I  have  long  since  lost,  taking  no  care  at  all  of  it, 
for  I  never  expected  to  receive  any  pay  for  that  I  had  at  this  late  day. 
Time  has  nearly  worn  me  away,  but,  thank  God,  my  mind  continues 
vigorous  and  sound." 

Refers  to  the  following  as  witnesses  to  his  service  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War: 

CHARLES  GALES,  of  Walton  County,  Georgia. 

THEODOSIUS  COOK,  of  Pike  County,  Georgia. 

"References  in  county  in  which  I  live — Tand  W.  Key,  Postmaster, 
Col.  Oliver  W.  Cox,  Judge  Russell,  Judge  Spencer,  Rev.  James  Gamble, 
Rev.  Joshua  Galloway,  Rev.  Benj.  Wilson  and  the  Hon.  Wiley  Thomp- 
son, of  Elbert  County." 

States  that  he  was  born  in  "Hanover  County,  Virginia,  May  15, 
1752,"  and  that  he  has  a  record  of  his  birth  "at  home  transcribed  from 
my  father's  Bible." 

Says  he  "removed  from  North  Carolina  to  Wilkes  now  Elbert  County, 
where  I  remained  until  1830,  when  I  removed  to  Henry  County,  where 
I  now  live." 


EXTRACTS  FROM  SECOND  DECLARATION  OF 
THOMAS  COOK. 

In  the  year  1777,  in  September,  I  was  elected  a  Lieutenant  of  a 
company  in  Martin's  regiment  attached  to  the  same  brigade  as  before 
and  in  this  year  I  served  three  months  in  actual  service  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  in  pursuit  of  the  Tory  commander, 
McCloud,  who  was  protected  and  supported  by  what  was  then  called 
the  "Highland  Scotch  Tories."  All  the  aforementioned  service  was  by 
lawful  and  competent  authority  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  This 
last  expedition  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  "Scotch  Expedition." 
Out  three  months.  Colonel  John  Paisley  was  our  Colonel  in  this  affair. 


In  the  Fall  or  ist  September  (1780),  I  was  ordered  to  raise  a  com- 
pany of  horsemen  for  three  months,  commanded  by  Davie  and  Brisbane. 
The  main  object  of  this  expedition  was  to  keep  the  British  in  check 
until  the  northern  army  came, — Gates  having  been  defeated.  Marched 
to  the  Catawba  River — Davidson  was  killed.  In  this  tour  I  was  out 
three  months  in  actual  service.  I  joined  General  Greene  on  his  retreat 
from  Cornwallis  and  went  into  Virginia,  and  as  soon  as  General  Greene 
thought  himself  strong  enough  for  Cornwallis,  we  marched  back  into 
North  Carolina  to  Hills  Boro.  From  there  we  went  to  Guilford  Court 
House. 

8 


PAPERS  ACCOMPANYING  DECLARATION  OF 
THOMAS  COOK. 

GEORGIA,  HENRY  COUNTY: 

Affidavit  of  THEODOSIUS  COOK  that  he  served  under  Thomas  Cook 
and  has  known  him  50  years. 

"I  was  born  in  the  same  State,  and  am  upwards  of  70  years  of  age. 
I  am  now  living  in  the  adjoining  county." 
Sworn  to  "December  18,  1832." 


MONROE,  WALTON  COUNTY,  GEORGIA  : 

REV.  HENRY  HARDIN  deposeth  and  saith  that  he  has  been  acquainted 
with  Thomas  Cook  "ever  since  and  before  the  commencement  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,"  and  that  he  served  under  Captain  Thomas  Cook. 
He  states  that  in  all  his  acquaintance  with  Thomas  Cook  "he  was  a  true 
friend  to  his  country  and  maintained  the  character  of  an  officer  and 
soldier  and  has  borne  that  character  ever  since,  as  also  the  character 
of  an  honorable  and  upright  man  as  an  individual." 
Sworn  to  "June  15,  1833." 

Letter  dated  "Tucker's  Cabin,  Ga.,  Sept.  21,  1844,"  asking  for  a 
copy  of  the  declaration  made  by  Thomas  Cook  when  he  applied  for  a 
pension. 

(Signed)  "FRANCIS  COOK, 

an  heir  and  administrator." 


Certificate  dated  "Chambers  County,  Alabama,  July  31,  1850,"  of 
Fenton  Cook,  son,  and  Elizabeth  Faulkner  (Russell)  granddaughter 
of  Captain  Thomas  Cook,  and  William  Russell,  husband  of  Elizabeth 
Faulkner,  that  they  believe  themselves  entitled  to  dues  from  the  pen- 
sion office. 


Letter  dated  "Lafayette,  Chambers  County,  Alabama,  Jan.  26,  1852," 
from  Richards  &  Faulkner,  to  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  requesting  in  the  name  of  the  heirs  of  Thomas  Cook 
information  regarding  any  commutation  pay,  etc.,  that  may  be  due  them 
as  his  heirs. 


Power  of  Attorney  of  Samuel  Cook,  son  of  Thomas  Cook  and  acting 
administrator  of  Thomas  Cook,  deceased,  to  an  attorney  at  Washing- 
ton,  D.   C,  empowering  him  to  collect  any  moneys  due  the  heirs  of 
Thomas  Cook. 
Dated  February  19,  1852. 


Affidavit  of  BENJAMIN  COOK  that  he  knew  Captain  Thomas  Cook 
"and  was  well  acquainted  with  him  during  the  Revolutionary  War  and 
know  that  he  served  as  a  soldier  and  for  a  considerable  length  of  time 
as  a  Cavalry  officer." 

(Dated)  "Pike  County,  Georgia,  29  July,  1852." 


GEORGIA,  SPALDING  COUNTY: 

WILLIAM  MOSELEY  deposeth  and  saith  that  he  knew  Captain  Thomas 
Cook  "from  my  earliest  recollection  and  have  often  heard  him  say  that 
he  was  Captain  of  a  company  of  mounted  men  of  the  North  Carolina  line 
of  Continental  soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  that  he  was  guide 
to  General  Greene  at  the  battle  of  Guilford.  I  have  also  heard  my 
uncle  Henry  Moseley,  who  served,  as  I  have  learned,  in  Captain  Literal's 
regiment  of  mounted  men,  say  that  Thomas  Cook  was  a  Captain  of  a 
mounted  company,  and  I  have  never  heard  it  disputed  by  anyone." 

(Dated)  July  31,  1852. 

(Signed)     WM.  MOSELEY. 


Affidavit  of  ELIZABETH  BURCH  that  she  was  born,  raised  and  lived 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Thomas  Cook  in  North  Carolina 
and  knew  him  from  1777  to  the  time  he  moved  to  Henry  County,  Georgia, 
about  1830. 

(Headed)  "Elberton,  Georgia." 

(Dated)      "Henry  County,  Ga.,  7  Dec.  1852." 


10 


STATE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

COMPTROLLER'S  OFFICE, 

July  13,  1854. 

I,  WILLIAM  J.  CLARK,  Comptroller  of  Public  Accounts  in  and  for 
the  State  aforesaid,  certify  that  it  appears  of  record  in  my  office  among 
the  payments  made  by  said  State  to  sundry  persons  for  military  services 
in  the  Revolutionary  War  as  follows,  to  wit:  Thomas  Cook 

Indent  or  Army  Certificate  "Ro.  1530  issued  by  the  auditors  of  Salis- 
bury District  August  9,  1782,  £36  specie 


Book  No. 
Book  No. 
Book  No. 
Book  No. 
Book  No. 
Book  No. 
Vol.  E.G. 


5,  P-  4,  S> 

5,  p.  5,  £  2  S.i8 

5.  P-  42,  f  7 
5,  p,  44,  £  10 
i,  p.  39,  £  6  5.19 
23,  p.  86,  £  56 

£374  S.io 


S.  4  specie Aug.  12,  1782 

June  14,  1782 

Aug.  8,  1782 

Aug.  8,  1783 

June  12,  1783 


,May, 


1779 


Indent  No.  1415  issued  by  Auditors  of  Salisbury  District,  August  8, 
1782,  Captain  Thomas  Cook,  £27  S.io  specie 

Book  E,  p.  69,  £25  8.14  currency    February,  1779,  Lieutenant. 

Book  E,  p.  71,  £30  September,   1779,   Captain. 

Vol.  A,  entry  8399,  Captain  Thomas  Cook,  for  services  (Militia)  of 
self  and  company,  £228  8.17  d.6  specie. 

Same  vol.,  entry  8404,  £  36  S.I5  specie  for  ditto  to  ditto. 

Same  vol.,  entry  8406,  £179  S.  9  for  ditto  to  ditto. 

Same  vol.,  entry  8735,  £  33  S.  8  for  ditto  to  ditto. 

The  four  last  payments  were  allowed  by  the  Auditors  of  Salisbury 
District  in  the  years  1782  and  1783. 

Book  E,  p.  71,  "Captain  Thomas  Cook,  Company  £1782  S.8  currency 
September,  1779."  Specie  value  £84  8.17  D.6. 

An  original  roll  is  in  my  office  entitled  "A  Return  of  the  nine  months' 
service  from  Guilford  County,  commanded  by  Lt.  Thos.  Cook,  Feb.  22, 
1779,"  signed  "Thos.  Cook,  Lieutenant." 


ii 


LAST  WILL  AND  TESTAMENT  OF  FRANCIS  COOK,  OF 

ELBERT  COUNTY,  GEORGIA,  FATHER  OF 

CAPTAIN  THOMAS  COOK. 

In  the  name  of  God,  amen.  This  eleventh  day  of  August  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  four,  I,  Francis  Cook,  of 
the  County  of  Elbert,  being  of  sound  mind  and  memory  calling  to  mind 
the  mortality  of  my  body  and  knowing  that  it  is  appointed  once  for  all 
men  to  die,  do  make,  constitute  and  ordain  this  my  last  will  and 
testament  in  manner  and  form  as  follows  (to  wit)  :  First,  I  recommend 
my  soul  to  God  who  gave  it  and  intreat  Him  through  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  to  receive  it  in  mercy,  and  my  body  to  the  dust  to  be  buried 
in  such  manner  as  my  executors,  whom  I  shall  hereafter  name  and 
appoint,  shall  think  fit,  and  as  for  my  worldly  goods  with  which  it  has 
pleased  God  to  bless  me,  I  do  order  and  dispose  of  in  the  following 
manner,  viz. : 

ITEM.     I  desire  that  all  my  just  debts  be  paid. 

ITEM.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  well  beloved  wife  Betty,  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  to  be  divided  off  the  west  or  upper  end  of  the  land 
on  which  I  now  reside,  in  such  manner  as  to  give  her  the  Dwelling 
House  and  Garden  and  is  to  be  divided  by  a  straight  line  to  proceed  from 
a  new  made  corner  pine  on  John  Willis'  line  on  the  side  of  the  old 
road  and  to  extend  through  my  land  to  Walker  Richardson's  line,  thence 
on  the  line  of  the  land  at  present  claimed  by  him  the  said  Walker 
Richardson,  and  on  lines  at  present  claimed  by  Josiah  Cook  and  John 
Willis  to  the  place  of  beginning,  as  also  the  Bed  and  Furniture  that 
I  got  with  her;  one  Chest  and  one  trunk,  one  Horse  equal  in  value  to 
the  mare  I  got  with  her,  and  one  Saddle  and  Bridle  and  five  Hundred 
dollars  in  money,  which  Legacy  is  to  my  wife  Betty  her  heirs  and  assigns 
forever. 

ITEM.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  two  Grandsons  James  Ragans* 
and  Charles  Ragans  five  Hundred  acres  of  Land  in  Franklin  County, 
on  Hunters  Creek,  which  said  Legacy  is  to  my  said  two  Grandsons  their 
heirs  and  assigns  forever,  which  said  five  Hundred  acres  of  land  is  one- 
half  of  a  tract  granted  to  Thomas  Gregg  and  William  Moss. 

ITEM.  I  desire  that  the  Balance  of  my  estate  of  whatsoever  name 
or  quality  be  equally  divided  amongst  all  my  children  and  the  children 
of  Dudley  Cook  my  son  deceased  I  desire  to  inherit  their  father's  equal 
part,  and  the  children  of  my  daughter  Nancy  Ragans,  deceased,  I  desire 
shall  inherit  their  mother's  equal  part,  so  that  this  clause  in  my  will 
stands  thus :  my  sons  Thomas  Cook,  John  Cook  and  the  children  of  my 
son  Dudley  Cook,  my  sons  Josiah  Cook,  Joshua  Cook,  Benjamin  Cook 
and  Elisha  Cook,  and  the  children  o»f  my  daughter  Nancy  Ragans,  de- 

*Reagan. 

12 


ceased,  my  daughters  Sarah  Long  and  Elizabeth  Moseley,  which  said 
Legacies  are  to  my  said  children,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever. 

Lastly,  I  appoint  my  two  sons  Thomas  Cook  and  Joshua  Cook  and 
my  trusty  friend  Richardson  Hunt  executors  and  my  well  beloved  wife 
Betty  executrix  of  this  my  last  will  and  testament. 

IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF  I  do  hereby  set  my  hand  and  seal  the  day 
and  year  first  written.  Signed,  sealed  and  pronounced  by  the  testator 
to  be  his  last  will  and  testament  in  presence  of  Francis  Cook,  Jnr., 
Wm.  Lane,  Jnr.,  W.  Woods. 

FRANCIS  COOK. 

[L.S.J 


COURT  OF  ORDINARY,  MARCH  TERM,  1813. 
GEORGIA,  ELBERT  COUNTY: 

Personally  appeared  in  open  court  Francis  Cook,  Jnr.,  and  William 
Woods,  two  of  the  subscribing  witnesses  to  the  within  will  of  Francis 
Cook,  Senr.,  deceased,  and  made  oath  that  they  saw  the  said  deceased 
sign  his  name  to  the  within  will  and  also  heard  him  acknowledge  the 
same  as  his  last  will  and  testament  and  at  the  time  of  executing  the 
same  he  was  of  sound  mind,  memory  and  understanding,  and  that  they 
did  in  his  presence  and  at  his  request  and  in  the  presence  of  each 
other  subscribe  their  names  as  witnesses  of  the  same  and  that  William 
Lane,  Jnr.,  did  at  that  time  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Testator  and 
at  his  request  subscribe  his  name  to  the  same  as  a  witness.  Sworn 
to  in  open  court,  this  first  day  of  March,  1813.  Test.  Jas.  Banks,  J.  I.  C. 

FRANCIS  COOK. 
WILLIAM  WOODS. 

And  the  same  being  approved  it  is  ordered  to  be  Recorded. 

Attest  WM.  WOODS,  Clerk,  C.  O. 


EXECUTOR'S  OATH. 

GEORGIA,  ELBERT  COUNTY: 

We,  THOMAS  COOK  and  JOSHUA  COOK  do  solemnly  swear  the  writing 
produced  in  Court  and  herewith  shewn  is  the  last  will  and  testament 
of  Francis  Cook,  deceased,  so  far  as  we  know  or  believe,  and  that  we 
will  well  and  truly  execute  the  same,  by  paying  first  the  debts  and  then 
the  Legacies  contained  in  the  said  will,  as  far  as  the  goods  and  chattels 
will  hereunto  extend  and  the  law  charges  us  with  and  that  we  will 
make  a  true  and  perfect  Inventory  of  such  goods  and  chattels.  Sworn 
to  in  open  Court  this  first  day  of  March,  1813.  Attest  WM.  WOODS, 
C.  C.  O. 

THOMAS  COOK. 
JOSHUA  COOK. 
Recorded  the  i6th  March,  1813. 

WM.  WOODS,  Clerk,  C.  O. 

13 


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